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Make sure any new building is a "net-zero" addition, with LEED Platinum level energy efficiency, and enough renewable energy to make the building energy neutral or energy positive. http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19 Include things like SolarTubes for natural light: http://www.solatube.com/ Include lots of plug-trees in open spaces for laptops (that's where you can put plants). Include a secluded quiet zone, for serious programming or study, and a glass walled meeting room for discussions and media development. Personally, I like a library with all the tech manuals, programing books, software manuals, etc. even out of date books give us valuable perspective and unique understanding. Remember you are teaching the spectrum of computer skills, from basic literacy to specialized science, include areas for business, programing, and creative visual arts. (A serious lab for robotics, AI, and smart phone apps wouldn't hurt).

The 5 easy steps to being green and adverting the worst effects of climate change and peak oil. And these strategies create stable and local job growth which is the best economic sense: 1) Stop SprawL!!! 2) R.R.Recycle! 3) ReForest/FoodForest!/VirginForest!! 4) Wind!/GeoThermal!!/Solar! 5) Electric&OpenSource Trains!!/Cars/Media! http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/solutions/ http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1989

I am going to guess you are not in the valley.

Here is a 2003 report that indicates non-green buildings put the TCOE (total cost of employee) at about 200% of Salary in non-green buildings:

        http://www.usgbc.org/Docs/News/News477.pdf

You are also not including transportation reinbursement, offset contribution to public transport (mandated for businesses with more than a small number of employees in California), and other costs, such as RSUs, stock options, employer contributions to benefits, matching on 401K plans, amortized costs for a 3 year lifetime on multiple computers per employee (I cost ~$4,000/year there) and other costs (mileage reimbursement for someone who lives in SFO and commutes to SJO can go as high as ~$10,000/year).

-- Terry

When buildings are sealed tighter and the air locked in them, things like radon gas become more of a problem. Along with formaldehyde and other pathogens.

So design better buildings.

There has to be a 'building industry revolution' for energy efficient housing to work. Meaning entirely new structures and methods of shelter.

There is one, LEED, sponsored by the US Green Building Council. It has some problems though. Then there's those who build Off the Grid using passive solar designs among other techniques.

Falcon

I have to build a datacenter and infrastructure to "fit" in a LEEDS Platinum building, so I care!

OK.

"LEED"? What has LEED got to do with it?

Do a little research on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Fact is, LEED works well as a motivation for Owner and Contractor to spend more money on energy efficient and environmentally friendly construction methods.

Builders of big objects are big companies, and they don't care, they don't have to

This is where Architects and Specifiers come into play. If you consider a large (public or private) project that will be put out to bid, the Architect can specify this as a required system, or as required level of performance.

Add to that the increasing demand for LEED certification in buildings.

Builders may not care, but there are certainly many other people who do care.

Well, people are doing things about that, too.

My company installed these waterless urinals from Falcon about 5 months ago. They were installed as a part of an initiative to satisfy the US Green Building Council standards for our office building. The filters claim to be good for 3000 uses, which brought many jokes about having an odometer instead of a flusher. They urinals work fine and there is no smell as long as the filters are replaced when needed. If you do buy one of these, MAKE SURE you get extra filters as it can be quite an unpleasant experience when they run out. The smell become increasingly apparent and the urine tends to back up and not drain away as quickly. Other than that, I have no complaints and if it's helping our environment in some way I don't see where it's any less convenient than a flushing urinal.